The part you're missing (and what I think kls is getting at) is that groupthink is not exclusive to religion. A group of people will gravitate towards each other and stop critically thinking. It sucks, but it's human nature.
Atheists are just as capable of groupthink as any other group (conservatives, liberals, environmentalists, capitalists). And just as religion has been used, and still continues to be used, to justify some truly horrible things; the militant desire for the elimination of religion can be just as bad. Sitting around pointing fingers at a very large and varied group of philosophies doesn't really do any good...
In the parent post you mention we burned Toyota at the stake for a faulty floor mat, and then in the same sentence say "we pay no mind to the religious implications of our world's enormous head counts all tied to religion." What do you propose? We burn those religious at the stake? Because your groupthink of atheism makes you feel superior (saved)? Because critical thinking is king, and those that you deem unable to do so are inferior (not saved)?
I propose we declare religion a fallacy and declare that it provides no value to a population. You don't need to hurt people to eliminate ignorance.
My problem is with the group think mentality. Religion just happens to be a larger manifestation of group think, but more so a way for people to orchestrate their desires in the guise of being from the word of god making any argument (like this one) absolutely unacceptable if it questions that authority. That's why religion stands out - because it has the power to control people in mass without much resistance. Help me understand why this is good for society. As such, I've only seen people dance around why it is good that religion is velcro-ed to our behavior. Help me see why a large group of people forfeiting their critical thinking in place of a bunch of mythological fallacies as A Good Thing.
Atheists are just as capable of groupthink as any other group (conservatives, liberals, environmentalists, capitalists). And just as religion has been used, and still continues to be used, to justify some truly horrible things; the militant desire for the elimination of religion can be just as bad. Sitting around pointing fingers at a very large and varied group of philosophies doesn't really do any good...
In the parent post you mention we burned Toyota at the stake for a faulty floor mat, and then in the same sentence say "we pay no mind to the religious implications of our world's enormous head counts all tied to religion." What do you propose? We burn those religious at the stake? Because your groupthink of atheism makes you feel superior (saved)? Because critical thinking is king, and those that you deem unable to do so are inferior (not saved)?
Scary, and almost religious...